AK Markram’s 143 in the just concluded test at Durban between South Africa and Australia was in a losing cause to provide the 16^th occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century going in vain. All such occasions are tabulated below.

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	JW Zulch	150	3	v Australia	Sydney	03 Mar 1911
2	HW Taylor	109	1	v England	Durban	13 Dec 1913
3	B Mitchell	109	3	v England	Durban	20 Jan 1939
4	A Melville	117	2	v England	Lord’s	21 Jun 1947
5	EAB Rowan	143	1	v Australia	Durban	20 Jan 1950
6	EJ Barlow	109	1	v Australia	Melbourne	01 Jan 1964
7	AC Hudson	163	2	v West Indies	Bridgetown	18 Apr 1992
8	AC Hudson	102	1	v Australia	Cape Town	17 Mar 1994
9	G Kirsten	153	3	v Australia	Sydney	02 Jan 2002
10	HH Gibbs	183	1	v England	The Oval	04 Sep 2003
11	HH Gibbs	161	2	v England	Johannesburg	13 Jan 2005
12	AN Petersen	100	1	v India	Kolkata	14 Feb 2010
13	D Elgar	118*	2	v England	Durban	26 Dec 2015
14	SC Cook	104	3	v Australia	Adelaide	24 Nov 2016
15	D Elgar	136	4	v England	The Oval	27 Jul 2017
16	AK Markram	143	4	v Australia	Durban	01 Mar 2018

It also provides the seventh occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century in a losing cause on home soil. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	HW Taylor	109	1	v England	Durban	13 Dec 1913
2	B Mitchell	109	3	v England	Durban	20 Jan 1939
3	EAB Rowan	143	1	v Australia	Durban	20 Jan 1950
4	AC Hudson	102	1	v Australia	Cape Town	17 Mar 1994
5	HH Gibbs	161	2	v England	Johannesburg	13 Jan 2005
6	D Elgar	118*	2	v England	Durban	26 Dec 2015
7	AK Markram	143	4	v Australia	Durban	01 Mar 2018

It also provides the fifth occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century in a losing cause in tests at Durban. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	HW Taylor	109	1	v England	Durban	13 Dec 1913
2	B Mitchell	109	3	v England	Durban	20 Jan 1939
3	EAB Rowan	143	1	v Australia	Durban	20 Jan 1950
4	D Elgar	118*	2	v England	Durban	26 Dec 2015
5	AK Markram	143	4	v Australia	Durban	01 Mar 2018

It also provides the seventh occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century in a losing cause in tests against Australia. All such occasions are listed below

No	Player	Runs	Inns	Opposition	Ground	Start Date
1	JW Zulch	150	3	v Australia	Sydney	03 Mar 1911
2	EAB Rowan	143	1	v Australia	Durban	20 Jan 1950
3	EJ Barlow	109	1	v Australia	Melbourne	01 Jan 1964
4	AC Hudson	102	1	v Australia	Cape Town	17 Mar 1994
5	G Kirsten	153	3	v Australia	Sydney	02 Jan 2002
6	SC Cook	104	3	v Australia	Adelaide	24 Nov 2016
7	AK Markram	143	4	v Australia	Durban	01 Mar 2018